O'Connor Township

Country Living at its Best

Phone: 807-476-1451
Email: twpoconn@tbaytel.net

News:

Important Links:

 

The History of O’Connor

The Township of O’Connor celebrated it’s 100 Anniversary in 2007

The Township has created a history book to help commemorate this milestone.  Books are now available for $40.00 at the Township office. For further information please call the office at (807) 476-1451.

Overview

The Township of O’Connor is comprised of a fine stretch of valley land, eight miles by six, or approximately thirty thousand acres, well-watered by numerous creeks and the Whitefish River. The P.D. and Canadian Northern Railway brought most of the settlers to O’Connor Township. The area grew due to the number of construction workers and those in the lumbering business settling here. The “unorganized” Township decided to become organized and did so on January 1st, 1907. Our first Reeve was Murray Bell. Mr. Lindsay Cardiff was the Clerk-Treasurer in our Township from 1915 to 1968. For his many years of dedicated service to our Township, Council in 1991 recognized his dedication by naming Cardiff Drive after him. Today, almost a hundred years later, many of our first settlers in the Township still have families living on the same homestead or elsewhere in the Township.

Township of O’Connor – The Past – 1898

The history of our Township did not properly begin until the arrival of a considerable number of settlers, as before that it was simply a No-Man’s Land. The area was comprised of a fine stretch of valley land, eight miles by six or approximately thirty thousand acres, well watered by numerous creeks and the Whitefish River. Most settlers came here by the P.D. & Canadian Northern Railway and in 1901 the Ontario Government began building Colonization Roads into the new Township. The task confronting these first pioneers was tremendous, as the Township, at this time, was nearly a solid forest.

On January 9, 1901 a board of trustees was formed and a site was chosen for the first school, which was then built in 1904. The school tax rate for this year was 10 mills for general purposes, and 11 mills for the school building.

The “unorganized” Township decided to become organized, and did so on January 1st, 1907. Opportunities were plentiful in the construction and lumbering businesses. Many of our first settlers in the Township still have families living on the same homestead or elsewhere in the Township.

In 1915, Mr. Lindsay Cardiff was appointed Township Clerk and in 1928 he became the Clerk-Treasurer of the Township. He was the Clerk and Treasurer for 53 years.  Mrs. Ruby Delyea was hired as the Township’s Clerk-Treasurer in January 1974 and she retired in June of 2001 after 27 1/2 years of dedicated service.

Township of O’Connor – The Present

Today the Township has a population of 689 with 283 households. It is mostly a residential area, with the majority of its residents working in the City of Thunder Bay.

There is one business operating within our Township – Firesteel Contracting. There are also several small businesses operating out of the residents’ homes. The Township is also the home of Solid Wood Lumber which has been closed now for several years.

In 1974, the Municipal Office was moved to the old O’Connor school building and in 2010 we were fortunate enough to build a brand new accessible office next door to this building, also known as the O’Connor Community Centre. The Township employs 6 full-time and 4 part-time staff. The community is served by a Volunteer Fire Department and First Response, a Fire Department Auxiliary, and the O’Connor Community Club . Our two churches, the Baptist and the Free Methodist, also serve the community well.

Our residents have always enjoyed the country atmosphere of our Township. Some of our residents are farmers, a number of residents have hobby farms, enjoy cross country skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, small game hunting or the peace and quiet of country living.

Township of O’Connor – The Future

The Township of O’Connor’s future will continue as it is today, with a certain amount of growth, but not enough to spoil the country atmosphere our residents have come to enjoy and expect. We will welcome small business and other economic development opportunities that present themselves.

Township of O’Connor – Crest

The original Township of O’Connor crest was designed in 1982 by Alana Syrjanen. The significance of crest is explained.
  • logoTrees represent a rural area and forestry workers
  • Rock and water represent fishing and recreation
  • Trillium representing the province.
  • In 1995 a new crest was designed by former Mayor Ron Nelson to make it more versatile in its use as a logo for the vehicles as well as a new design for a township pin.  The same significances remained in the new design.